Real Madrid won again, with a rout against Osasuna (4-0) that allowed them to breathe after two consecutive painful defeats against Barcelona (0-4) and Milan (1-3), on a Saturday matchday at the Santiago Bernabéu in which they lost three footballers to injury, with special concern for Éder Militao, who aims to suffer his second serious knee injury in 15 months.
Carlo Ancelotti was clear in the press conference before receiving Osasuna. His team’s problem was detected, insisting on the “sacrifice, concentration and collective work” that he has repeated, without success, since the beginning of the season. For this reason, he sent an order to his players. He demanded a “reaction” and he got it.
A match in which Real Madrid was more organized from the first minute and returned to the 4-3-3 with which they began the season, although three protagonists lasted a short time healthy on the pitch.
The first, Rodrygo Goes. The Brazilian returned to the starting lineup after injuring the femoral biceps in his right leg on October 22. He shortened deadlines, played 17 minutes against Milan and at 20 minutes against Osasuna he suffered another muscle injury, in his left leg. Already limping, he continued on the field and when trying to start to go into space with the ball, he threw the ball out and fell to the ground.
He left the pitch crying and it was the preview of an afternoon at the Santiago Bernabéu in which bad news in the form of injuries piled up on Carlo Ancelotti, with special importance in the one that Éder Militao suffered.
Having undergone surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on August 17, 2023, the Brazilian centre-back left the pitch on a stretcher and crying, due to what appears to be a serious injury to his right knee. If confirmed, it would be the second serious one in 15 months. The reaction of his teammates, with their hands on their heads, said it all.
Real Madrid recovered quickly after two setbacks that interrupted the pace of the match and Vinícius Junior was the first to lend a hand to his coach, whom he gave a hug after the celebration with all his teammates hugging in a circle. As he said after the comeback against Borussia Dortmund after going 0-2 down on the scoreboard: “We have to improve because if not the coach can’t stand it.”
Individual play in which he faced Catena and beat Sergio Herrera by shooting hard at the near post. A first goal in the 34th minute that gave Real Madrid peace of mind and Osasuna protested by claiming that ‘Vini’ was offside earlier. The VAR confirmed the legality of the goal and added to the scoreboard.
Real Madrid’s joy did not last long, with the third injured player of the match in the 38th minute. Lucas Vázquez’s muscle problems in his left leg left the white team with four healthy defenders from the first team: Ferland Mendy, Fran García, Antonio Rüdiger and a Jesús Vallejo who didn’t even come out to warm up.
Instead of Militao, youth player Raúl Asencio made his debut, and he couldn’t have done it in a better way. A great deep high pass from him in the 42nd minute left Jude Bellingham alone against Sergio Herrera. The English midfielder chipped the ball over the goalkeeper and scored his first goal of the season.
Vinícius and Bellingham responded. Mbappé was missing, but he maintained the anxiety in front of the goal that is taking its toll on him in the definition this season, with eight goals, three from penalties, in 16 games.
Against Osasuna he even tried it with a direct free kick, in an action in which he had not yet tried his luck with Real Madrid, but the ball did not take height and crashed into the barrier. He went down to receive balls, fell to the left side, drove the ball, faced… but he was not successful in the last few minutes, as if Vinícius was, who emerged as the protagonist.
Vini’s hat-trick to seal Real Madrid’s biggest win this season. The Brazilian’s second came in the 61st minute in a play that originated with a great long pass with the foot of Andriy Lunin that left Vinícius against Jesús Areso and Sergio Herrera, whom he masterfully surpassed to make it 3-0 after which almost all the footballers went to hug Lunin, as happened in Bellingham’s goal with Asencio.
And eight minutes later, an error by Flavien Boyomo when the ball was taken served Real Madrid’s 4-0 lead, with Brahim Díaz assisting Vinícius who finished at will to sign his second hat trick of the season.
With the win on the scoreboard and the peace of mind back at the Santiago Bernabéu, Ancelotti gave minutes to the youngsters Arda Güler and Endrick, although the “long nights” he has experienced looking for a solution to the bad moment once again loomed in the coach’s mind. of the team and who will have to go through injuries again against Osasuna, especially in defense without Militao – more serious -, Lucas Vázquez and Dani Carvajal.
